I was watching a disc golf tourney on youtube as usual and the tourney i was watching the guys would walk up to there disc put there markers down and then scrape away a lot of the ground in front of there mini. i was just wondering if there was a rule about that. or is it part of the dead an unattached rule? i mean i understand moving some twigs out of your footing area but a couple times these guys were practically digging small holes. lol. anyhow let me know what ya all know. Thank you.

I was watching a disc golf tourney on youtube as usual and the tourney i was watching the guys would walk up to there disc put there markers down and then scrape away a lot of the ground in front of there mini. i was just wondering if there was a rule about that. or is it part of the dead an unattached rule? i mean i understand moving some twigs out of your footing area but a couple times these guys were practically digging small holes. lol. anyhow let me know what ya all know. Thank you.

You can't move anything that isn't in your stance. And one's stance can't be in front of the marker disc.

Do you have a link to the video? It would make it a lot easier to identify whether what they're doing is legal or not.

In exchange, a link for you: PDGA Rules of Play. It's a quick read and an easier way to find out "if there was rule about that" than asking on a forum.

There is a video of Dave Feldberg saying you can move things IN FRONT of your stance too if it present a hazard. I don't have the link but I am relying on the DGCR faithful to post it.

That being said, I think the "common knowledge" of the rules is that you can only move something if it is in or extends into your lie. So you can remove a branch in front of you if part of it extends through your lie.

Now that I reread the OP, I think he/she might actually mean behind the mini. In which case I think you can dig for oil if you want (hyperbole).

I thought if anything dead or not attached (a down tree branch with with other branches protruding upward and into throw) could be dragged out of the way..but then again, it would change the throwers shot?

803.01 Obstacles and Relief
B. Casual Obstacles to a Stance: A player may obtain relief only from the following obstacles that are on or behind the lie

800.02 Definitions
Lie
The spot on the playing surface behind the marker, upon which the player takes a stance in accordance with the rules. It is a line 30 centimeters in length extending back along the line of play from the rear edge of the marker disc. The lie for the first throw on a hole is the teeing area. A drop zone is also a lie.

In order for any obstacle to be considered casual and okay to move, some part of it has to be on or behind the lie (i.e. obstructing a run-up or stance, but not a follow through or flight path).

A dead branch that is both in front of the marker (obstructing a throwing line) and extends back such that part of it is farther from the target than the marker is NOT automatically considered a casual obstacle.

You are allowed to touch and move things in front of your lie during your follow thru. But if it's not something you want to touch, it's up to you to adjust your throwing motion so you don't hit it like a pricker bush or tree trunk perhaps.